Cooking Up A Storm: Raising money for muscular dystrophy with tavern-style pizza

CHICAGO (WLS) -- We are cooking up a storm with a chef who's making food for an important cause.

He also has a knack for really good pizza.

Billy Zureikat doesn't let his muscular dystrophy diagnosis stop him. Instead, it inspired him.

His pizza recipes have been featured at more than a dozen restaurants across Chicago to help raise money for the debilitating disease.

Billy demonstrated how to make a tavern-style pizza.

Billy's Tavern-style Dough Recipe

Ingredients (yields two dough balls good for two 14" pizzas)

363 grams organic bread flour

2 grams active dry yeast

3 grams sea salt

3 grams sugar

185 grams room temperature water

30 grams olive oil

25 grams corn meal

Directions

By hand: In a large bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients. Add your water and oil. Stir to combine and then knead until a shaggy ball forms with no dry spots. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Knead until a smooth dough forms and bounces back after poking. Divide into two equal balls.

By food processor: Add the dry ingredients to a food processor bowl fitted with a dough blade. Pulse until combined, then add the water and oil. Pulse ingredients until the ball comes together and rides the blade. Process for 30 seconds then let the dough rest 20 minutes. Process for another 30 seconds then divide and ball dough.

By mixer: Add the dry ingredients to a food processor bowl fitted with a dough hook. Set to stir until combined, then add the water and oil. Turn to medium low and let mix until a shaggy dough forms. Let rest for 20 minutes then mix on medium low until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes. Remove from mixer and divide and ball dough.

Place dough balls in an oiled container and let cold ferment in your fridge for 3-5 days.

After cold fermenting, remove dough from the fridge. Place on to a well floured surface. Press all the air out of the dough with your fingers and use a rolling pin to roll dough to a 14 inch circle. Use a dough docker or fork to poke small holes to help release steam while baking to keep your crust thin and crispy. At this point these are ready to bake but to take it another level, you can cold cure your dough.

Dough Curing: Lightly flour a 16-18 inch piece of parchment paper. Place your rolled dough on top. Lightly flour and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Repeat with remaining dough and place back in your fridge for 24 hours to cure. Curing dries out the surface of the dough, which leads to a crispier, cracker-like texture.

To Bake: Set your oven to 500 F and preheat your baking steel for at least an hour. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. Remove your cured dough from your fridge and place it on your peel removing the parchment paper. Top and bake for 7-9 minutes or until well done. Remove from your oven and let rest on a cooling rack. Slice into squares and enjoy!

For more information, visit https://www.trippingbillyz.com.